Morning News
21st October 1968
Awamis Avoid decision on contesting next general election
(By Our Staff Reporter)
The biennial council meeting of the East Pakistan Awami League (six-point group), as expected avoided decision on the issue of contesting the forthcoming general elections in the country when it put off the final verdict on it till January next.
Amidst nosiy scenes the council hastily passed on the issue to the newly elected working committee led by Syed Nazrul Islam and Mr. Mizanur Rahman Chowduury, MNA, to avoid any serious breach of discipline within the party. It authorised the working committee to decide by January next whether or not to contest the elections.
The two equally militant groups holding opposite views on the Issue of elections pressed the council for a clear-cut decision, but the Acting President Mr. Nazrul Islam who was piloting the meeting ultimately prevailed upon the group which was demanding outright boycott of the elections to withdraw their demand. Quite a few councillors and delegates left the venue of the meeting apparently protesting the decision of the meeting.
Later a resolution passed “unanimously” claimed that the final decision on the election issue had been put off in order “to have a more realistic public opinion and also the opinion of other political parties on it.”
The meeting briefly reviewed the political situation in the country and observed that “free and fair elections could not be held under the present system.”
Earlier the council witnessed the political elimination of the former Acting Secretary of the party Mrs. Amena Begum who was once again an aspirant for the job. After showering praise on Mrs. Amena Begum for her services to the party the Acting President Mr. Nazrul Islam asked her proposers to withdraw the proposal.
Promptly came a wave of protest from amongst the councillors and delegates but they were effectively shouted down by the supporters of Mr. Mizanur Rahman Choudhury.
The council also re-elected Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mr.Tajuddin as President and Secretary respectively of the party for the next two years.
Syed Nazrul Islam and Mr. Mizanur Rahman Choudhury will however, continue to work as Acting President and Acting Secretary of the party. The meeting also re-elected all the previous office-bearers.
The council by a resolution reaffirmed its faith in the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and in the six-point programme of the party.
The council passed resolution which included implementation of Krug Mission report for flood control, and withdrawal of state of emergency. A revolution demanding exemption of taxes on the flood affected people was also passed.
The Awami League also condemned the American aggression in Viet Nam and demanded that people of Viet Nam be allowed to decide their fate. It also condemned Israeli aggression on Arab land and demanded immediate pull out of the Israeli forces from Arab land.
সূত্র: সংবাদপত্রে বঙ্গবন্ধু চতুর্থ খণ্ড: ষাটের দশক ॥ তৃতীয় পৰ্ব ॥ ১৯৬৮